Summary
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2 looks set to build on season 1’s implications that the Stranger is Gandalf,using its new character Tom Bombadil as a foil and prop for his development. Theories circulated that the Stranger was Sauron, but Sauron turned out to be Halbrand, asThe Rings of Powerseason 1 ending explained. Thus, going into season 2, the Stranger looks like Gandalf more than ever before. Speaking toVanity Fair, showrunners revealed Tom Bombadil’s inclusion in season 2 will see him meet the Stranger and influence him.
J.D. Payne stated that Bombadil “can be a force for good, but he is challenging to integrate dramatically in that he doesn’t have an agenda. He’s not driving forward and pushing people to arrive at any particular end.” It sounds likethe show will follow the books’ portrayal of this character, more or less- at least in theme. Bombadil has never been seen live-action before, and if the Stranger is Gandalf, it would be incredibly significant to see the twoRings of Powercharactersmeet on screen.
Who Is Tom Bombadil? The Rings Of Power’s Major New LOTR Character Explained
The Rings of Power has confirmed a massive character for season 2, one who remained a mystery to even J.R.R. Tolkien himself: Tom Bombadil.
The Rings Of Power Can Show How Gandalf Knew Tom Bombadil Before The Lord Of The Rings
Tom Bombadil And Gandalf Crossed Paths Before The Fellowship Of The Ring
In Tolkien’s work, it is evident that Gandalf knewTom Bombadil, and if the Stranger is Gandalf, thenThe Rings of Powerseason 2 can show him meeting Bombadil on screen for the first time. The show is adapting Bombadil for the screen, taking advantage of its television format. Payne confirmed Bombadil is hard to fit into a tight narrative, which is the same reason he was left out of the Peter Jackson films. But now,theRings of Powershow can tell the stories hinted by Gandalf in the bookswhen he spoke of his former run-ins with Bombadil.
EvenThe Rings of Powerseason 2 trailerdrops hints about Gandalf being the Stranger, having him thrust his staff into the ground in an act reminiscent of his famous “you shall not pass” moment inThe Fellowship of the Ring. With this developing character bumping into Bombadil in the far east of Middle-earth in season 2, it is likelythe show can elaborate on mystifying detailsGandalf dropped about Bombadil in the books. For example, Bombadil’s adventures in Rhûn are an invention of the show, but the books never stated that he didn’t go there.
How Much Gandalf Knows About Tom Bombadil In The Lord Of The Rings Explained
Gandalf Gave Frodo And Co Some Interesting Insight Into Tom Bombadil
In the books, Gandalf knew that Tom Bombadil was so powerful that the One Ring didn’t affect him, although he couldn’t defeat Sauron - “Could that power be defied by Bombadil alone? I think not. I think that in the end, Bombadil will fall, Last as he was First.” Judging from showrunners’ comments,Tom Bombadil reflects canon inRings of Powerseason 2, powerful enough to deal with the Stranger, but not likely to get involved in the coming war. In the Council of Elrond, Gandalf says:
Say rather that the Ring has no power over him. He is his own master. But he cannot alter the Ring itself, nor break its power over others. And now he is withdrawn into a little land, within bounds that he has set, though none can see them, waiting perhaps for a change of days, and he will not step beyond them.
InThe Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf also displayed insight into Tom Bombadil’s name and origins: “Iarwain Ben-adar we called him, oldest and fatherless. But many another name he has since been given by other folk: Forn by the Dwarves, Orald by Northern Men, and other names beside.”Gandalf knew he was “older than the old”. Overall, it was evident that Gandalf had insight into Tom that most others lacked, as a primordial being himself. Gandalf visited Tom afterThe Return of the King, hoping Tom’s calm would help him settle after the traumatic War of the Ring.
The Stranger and Tom Bombadil Will Have A Big Effect On The Show
Tom Bombadil will meet the Stranger in season 2 and have a decisive effect on his choices, nudging him in the right direction. This is important because the Stranger is a main character inThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,regardless of whether he turns out to be Gandalf or not.Tom Bombadil’s power in season 2may provide the Stranger a vital leg up. However, it’s important to Tom’s character in the books that he plays more of a symbolic role than a narrative one, and it will be important that the show respects this logic.
The show maycompare and contrast the Stranger and Tom Bombadil. Gandalf was an Istari, one of five wizards sent by the world’s Gods, the Valar, to help in the fight against Sauron. In keeping with the Valar’s opposition to Sauron’s methods, the Istari weren’t meant to use their power to lead, they were meant to blend in and guide the course of events gently. They weren’t meant to put on impressive displays of power.Gandalf couldn’t use his full powerinThe Lord of the Rings, likewise, Tom Bombadil doesn’t exert anywhere near the full extent of his power.
J.R.R. Tolkien also published poems about Tom Bombadil inThe Adventures of Tom Bombadil
The One Ring’s devastating effect doesn’t even touch the sides of Tom’s vast power - he could probably tip the scales in any war. However, he is a non-interventionist representative in the books of nature running its course. If the Stranger is Gandalf, thenThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerwill bring together two modest titans of understated power. Perhaps Tom’s restraint is key to guiding Gandalf’s. Tom may be neutral, but the Stranger is “good” - he says so himself.Tom’s guidance of the Stranger could be an indirect factor in the protagonists beating Sauronin the Dark Years, upcoming in the show.
Source:Vanity Fair
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2 will air on August 23, 2025
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
